Fastening means



Feb. 9, 1943. K G. A. TINNERMAN Y 2,310356 FASTENING MEANS Original Filed April 15, 1941 www GEORGE A. TINNYERMAN {lll/1411111'lill/111111111111 '11111111lllllllllllllllllllw Patented Feb. 9, 1943 l Umso s'rArss eATENT ortica FAS'IENING llrIEAN S.

George A. Tinnerman, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Tinnerman Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio original application April 15, 1941, serial No;

Divided and this application November 25, 1941, Serial No. 420,415

(Cl. BFS- 36) l Claim.

This inventionv relates in general to fastening installations embodying an improved form of spring nut device or the like, together lwith atool for applyingisuch spring nut devices to tightened, tensioned fastening position in a minimum of time and effort.

The present application is a division of prior Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the tuoi as actuated to tension the fastener in `nally applied fastening position;

copending application Serial Number 388,796 filed y April l5, 1941.

The improved spring nut devices of the present invention andthe tool therefor are 'adapted for a wide range and'variety or" uses but are particularly advantageous in what are 1Known as blind locations wherein both sides of the parts secured are not conveniently or readily accessible and the nal fastening of the parts is more advantageously or necessarily performed by an operation taking place entirely from the accessible side of the installation. i

in the securing of relativelyfragile parts such as glass, plastics, etc., there must be employed a Fig, 5 is a vertical sectional view of a preferred vforni of tcol provided in a general, pistol-type stallation in which cooperating parts are secured spring nut or locking plate which is considerably more flexible than heretofore known forms of such devices in order to avoid mutilation, cracking or breakage of such relatively fragile parts. ln this relation, the tool of the present invention is particularly advantageous in applying and tensioning a spring nut entirely from therearward side oi an assembly without requiring the associated connecting stud to be supported at the forward side of such parts, as is necessary in the application of a spring nut by a thrustmtype tool,

for example, in which there is considerable danger of mutilation, cracking or breakage of said relatively fragile parts in this 1aspect also.

With objects apparent from the 'foregoing in view, further objects and advantages, and other new and useful features in the construction, arev rangement and general combination of parts of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the `art as the following description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, in which like reference characters designate 'ke parts through out the same, and in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of an assembly of parts secured by fastening means in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of another type of assembly illustrating a -fastener in temporary fastening position together with a fragmentary showing of the toolabout to beapplied thereto to tension'the same in final fastening position;

Fig. 3 isa perspectiveview of the fastener per se shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

by the spring nut fastening devices ofthe invention which may be applied to connectingmeans in any of the forms of an integral stud, barbed shank, rivet, nail or threaded fastener, or the like. In the present illustration, for example only, the part A may be a plastic part provided with one or more integrally i molded plain studs l and/ or barbed Shanks ii havingheads l embedded therein in the molding operation in the manner of metallic inserts. Said connectingmeans all project in the same generaly direction from the undersuriace of said part while the outer surface of said partmay include `raised. portions 3 in the manner of lettering or ornamental and artisti@ designs and the like, 'together with a peripheral flange portion i maintaining said part in spaced relation to the supporting panel or' other part B. The said connecting means comprising spaced studs l, ii, are received in correspondingly spaced apertures ,5 in the supporting part B to project from the rearward side thereof in position for application of resilient spring nutjastening devices ill over the free ends thereof. Since the supporting part B may b e of relatively fragile inaterial also, such as glass or plastic composition, the spring nut devices are of a highly resilient and flexible construction to avoid any such damaging stresses or strains on said part as would cause a fracture or breaking thereoi. Also, inasmuch as the body of part A is disposed in spaced relation to said supporting part B by flange l and includes the raised design portions 3, the same` cannot be safely supported on the outer face thereof in backing up the connecting studs i, 6, during the application of the spring nut devices thereto as required in' the use of .a thrust-type tol, for example, since this would result in mutilation of said raised design portions 3 and possible cracking or breaking of said part A. The studs l, 6, otherpart by a tool such as that of the present invention, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Fig. 2 illustrates another assembly of parts in which the fastener and tool of the present invention are particularly well suited for completing the installation in a most effective and highly practical manner. A supporting panel C, is provided With connecting means in the form of barbed studs 6, for example, extending therethrough and otherwise driven into a layer or pad of fibrous material D, fibre board or the like, such as used on the dash of a motor vehicle or the walls of a refrigerator for insulation purposes. A cover piece E such as a nishing panel, fabric or other material is disposed on the opposite side of supporting panel C concealing the heads 'I of the studs. The said heads 1 are thus difcult to locate easily and quickly in order that the studs may be supported during the tensioning of the spring nut devices applied over the projecting free ends thereof; it is therefore most expedient to apply and tighten the spring nut devices by an operation taking place entirely from the rearward side of the assembly at the outer face of the layer or pad D, and this is readily accomplished by the herein disclosed tool device, as presently to be described.

While the connecting means may be provided in various forms in the manner of integrally molded plain studs, rivets, common nails and the like, in the assembly of Figs. 2 and 4, the studs 6 are preferably of the type having a serrated or ring-barbed shank which serves a dual function, first, of providing suillcient holding ability in the libre board, insulating material or the like D,

for temporarily installing the s'ame in proper relation on supporting panel-C, whereas an ordinary nail having only a smooth o r roughened shank would not beheld with sufllcient gripping force for this purpose by the relatively soft and porous composition of such materials; and second, such v -a barbed shank defines a pronounced shoulder or rib construction with which a cooperating spring nut device applied thereto from the rearward side of the assembly is capable of a positive locking action in fastening the parts of the assembly in permanently secured relation.

A ring-barbed stud 6 otherwise is such as to define aseries of sharp abutments or shoulders' I spaced by grooves receiving the adjacent surrounding material'of the pad or Vlibre board D, on being driven therein, to interlock with the shank andpengage particularly said shoulders 8 thereof and thereby resist withdrawal of the stud after being thus initially applied. Accordingly, even though the relatively soft and porous material D lacks suflicient body to retain ordinary nails, the use of studs having the ring-barbed shanksin accordance with the present invention, provides for suflicient holding power to retain the same effectively in temporarily installed relation on the supporting panel C; and thus, in a speedy and economical method of procedure, the temporary installation of large sections of fibrous structed from relatively thin sections of any suitable sheet metal, preferably spring metal such. as spring steel or cold rolled steel having spring-like characteristics. A spring nut device may be provided from blanks of various outlines but, as yshown in Fig. 3, is most economically constructed from a simple generally rectangular section which may be provided at very low cost from ordinary strip stock with little or no loss or waste of material. The blank is bent into the form of a pronounced, generally U-shaped hump or arched body Il between'end sections I2 winch are of suiiicient length to define substantial bearing .surfaces or spring clamping elements capable of frictional sliding relation to the adjacentl surface l secured thereby upon tensioning of the nut'device in finally applied fastening position. To this end, the junctions of the usually flat end sections I2 with the respective arms of the U-shaped hump ll are preferably slightly curved as at Il, Fig. 3, to define rounded bearing surfaces which expedite such sliding relation by substantial cam width than the root diameter of the stud member and are preferably V-notched and oppositely disposed to define substantial jaws adapted to cut into embedded relation with the stud shank in substantialLv equal biting engagement therewith in applied fastening position.

Said tongues I5 otherwise are relatively short"4 and bent into substantially `ogee formation to .extend slightly outwardly out of the bent contour of the) generally U-shaped hump or arched portion' Il at the crown or apex thereof. The tongues thus provided arev possessed pf unusual inherent strength and sufcient resiliency to yield as necessary for the extremities thereof -to admit therebetween the plain shank of a-nai1, rivet or integrally molded plastic connecting stud, or the irregular shank of a barbed stud and snap over the'respective ribs 8 of such stud upon application of the spring nut to temporary fastening engagement therewith, substantially as shown in Pig. 2. In any position of application, the extremities of said tongues |5 are adapted to engage the rib 8 immediately adjacent thereto or positively grip the shank of a plain stud, Fig. 1, and thereby lock the spring nutl against movement in a reverse direction toward removal from initially .applied position.

The arrangement otherwise is such that the pronounced hump or arched body l l of the spring nut provides a highly resilient spring locking plate device which is considerably more flexible than any usual spring nut. The tongues I5 are yieldable with respect to said hump or arched body and relative to each other in such a way that the extremities thereof are readily adapted for sliding along the smooth shank of a plain stud or for snapping over the ribs 8 of a barbed stud in one direction in the manner of yieldable pawls sliding over a ratchet to provide what may be termed, a one-way clutch gripping action with the stud. The spring nut devices, accordingly, may be speedily installed in initially apped fastening In the `initially applied position of a spring nut AIll shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1, and as in Fig. 2, the hump or generally arched portion Il projects materially away from the adjacent surface of the work, andthe pronounced generally concavo-convex configuration thereof provides for a relatively great amount of flexion as said hump is depressed to tensioned condition in the finally applied fastening position of the spring nut. This facilitates the final setting of the fasteners and otherwise permits the end sections IZ and rounded bearing surfaces I4, Fig.` 3, of la spring nut to slide. easily on the adjacent surface of the work by substantial cam action without mutilating or otherwise damaging the same in any way which would preclude an effective and reliable installation.

When a spring nut device I is tensioned by be- \ing depressed from the position of the, upper showing of Fig. 1, and as in Fig. 2, substantially to that of the lower showing of Fig. 1 and of Fig. 4, pressure is exerted, more particularly, on the apex of the arch or crown of the hump Il to urge the ^same toward a attened condition against the adjacent work surface. The body of the spring nut is thus elongated and the end sections .l2 caused to slide generally outwardly and upwardly as the extremities of the tongues l5 snap over successive ribs 8 of the barbed shank until engaged with a rib' adjacent the rearward work surface. When pressure is removed, the tongue extremities are disposed in locked abutting engagement with the sharp, pronounced shoulder defined by such rib as the body of the device attempts to assume its initially, normally untensioned, generally arched orhumped configuration. This naturally tends to draw the stud shank axially to take up automatically any clearance in theassembled parts and tightly and rigidly secure vsaid parts, in addition to providing a constant spring locking action of the spring nut with the barbed shank or plain stud, as the case may be.

Under such spring locking action, the notched extremities of the tongues l5 are urged inwardly toward each other to biting engagement with the root diameter of the stud shank as the adjacent free end portions thereof are disposed in positive locked abutting engagement with the sharp abutment or shoulder 8 of the engaged rib or ring barb. In this way the spring nut devices or locking plates lil serve to exert a continuously effective spring drawing action generally axially of the shanks of the studs, thereby initially drawing the parts into close, snug and fixed engagement, andxthereafter providing a firm, rigid and locked assembly of the parts of the installation without possibility of becoming loose or removed even under extreme conditions of jarring, vibration and strain. V

It has been found that this most effective locking and axial`drawing action of a spring nut device il! to provide a tight, rigid installation is best obtained when the generally arched body or humpv Il is depressed without any substantial pressure being exerted directly on the tongue elements l5 themselves; any substantial pressure on the tongues prevents a Vspring nut from hav-l ing easy sliding movement axially of a plain stud or over the ribs of a barbed shank on being applied, and often bends the tongues such that the extremities thereof are deformed out of position for most effective contact with the stud shank and perhaps have a tendency to slip and permit the spring nut to loosen from tensioned, finally applied position in a tightened installation.

The tensioning of the spring nut devices may be performed in any suitable way .for depressing the same, as aforesaid, but preferably Zby the use of a special tool comprising a pressure head designed to engage the hump portionsn Il adjacent the bases of the tongues I5 or at the apex side sections I6 Iwithout exerting pressure directly onA said tongues I5. Thus, pressure may be applied to the hump or arched body I l of the spring nut to depress and tension the same without likelihood of deforming the tongues; and accordingly, when the tool is withdrawn and the attendant pressure removedfrom the-depressed body of Vthe spring nut, the tension stored therein causes the tongues to become lockedv with the stud and produces the axial drawing action on the shank for providin'g a rigid and tightened installation, as aforesaid. In this respect, it will be understood -that the bending moment which serves to lock the spring nut on the ring barbed stud in finally applied position, is produced by the downward pressure of.the abutment or shoulder 8 of the finally engaged rib barb on the extremities of the tongues I5, andthe upward reaction pressure applied to said tongues by the depressed and tensioned body or hump Il of the -spring nut in attempting to assume its initial configuration.

Fig. 5 shows a tool of this character which-is designed for tensioning the spring. nut devices by an operation taking place entirely from the rearward side of the work, as is required in installations, such as previously described, in which it is impractical or inconvenient to support the 'heads of the connecting studs during the depressing action for tensioning the 'spring nuts apnecting studs. The tool is preferably provided in the general construction of a pistol-type device for use in the manner of a push-pull implement which may be easily and quickly manipulated in one hand of an operator with his other hand free to" make ready the next spring nut to be applied and tensioned. A simple and cheap construction of this character may comprise a barrel or body member 20 having a large bore 2l merging into a small bore 22 to define an interior shoulder or abutment 23. At the free end of said small bore 22 a generally conical recess 2d is provided defining a peripheral tool head 25 at the forward end of the tool body.

a pair of cooperating spring fingers 3U attached.

to the forward end of plunger 2B as by ascrew 32, Figs. 5 and 6. Said fingers may be provided as separate elements or inthe manner of a onepiece generally U-shaped strip defining said 4fingers togetherwith a connecting portion having an aperture receiving said screw 32 for securing the fingers in swivel attached relation to the plunger 26. As best seen in Fig. 6, said ngers are formed in the manner of transverse corrugations /snugly received in said small bore 22 and of such length as to project beyond the forward ing gripping'jaws 35 in offset relation to each4 other so as to overlap in the compressed relanon of said angers. As shown in Fig. '1, said gripping jaws 35 are suitably notched or recessed to deiine substantial claws 36 having a tapered space or bight therebetween gradually diminishing to a. size considerably smaller than the root y diameter of the stud shank, and thereby being adapted to be applied easily and quickly to grip a plain stud by an effective biting action, and/or adjacent a rib 8 on a barked stud without likelihood of slippage during the nal tensioning of a spring nut thereon.

A coil spring 3l is retained. in the large bore 2| by a closure cap 38, and said spring bears upon the plunger 26 to urge the same to the end of its forward movement as limited by the abutment 23,` in which relation the cam surface portions 34 ofthe fingers and the jaws 36 carried thereby project normally beyond the end yof the tool head 2| for application and use of the tool, as presently to be described. A "suitable,

handle is provided for the tool such as a pistol grip 40 connected to the barrel 20 in any suitable way, as by spaced clamping head sections 4I recessed to receive said barrel 20 and urged to xed, clamping engagement therewith by a studv bolt 42, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing, it will be readily understood that the tool may be employed to tension a spring nut initially vapplied over the end of a plain stud represented in th upper portion of Fig. 1, or a serrated or barbed stud substantially as shown in Fig. 2. In any event, the action is such that the claws 36 of the gripping jaws 35 bite into and rigidly grip the stud shank while the cooperating tool head 25 moves with respect thereto to depress the hump or arched body II of the spring nut against the adjacent face of the work, substantially as shown inl Fig. 4. Saidperipheral tool head 25 is so designed as to engage, in any position of application, the hump portion II of a spring n ut adjacent the bases of the projecting tonguestIS such that no pressure is exerted thereon which would tend to mutilate or distort said tongues out of their essential ogee formation designed-for most effective fastening engagement with the connecting stud. Said tongues I5 are receivable in the recess 24 of the tool head and thereby capable of yielding and iiexing as necessary upon actuation of the tool head 25 to such position of most eiective fastening engagement with the connecting stud.

Accordingly, upon initial application of the tool headV as illustrated in Fig.'2,` the plain or barbed connecting stud is received between the jaws 35 at the ends of gripping iingers 30. Upon ma- 28, to move-thesametoward the handle 40, the plunger 26 is Vrr'i'o'ved rearwardly in the barre1'2ll .70 nipulation of the actuating member or trigger the small bore 22 adjacent the tool head recess 24. During this inward drawing action on the fingers 30, the inclined cam surfaces l34 on the projecting'portions thereof are gradually com- 5 pressedftoward each other by the leading end of said bore 22 to cause the jaws 35 to move inwardly into gripping engagement with the connecting stud as illustrated in Fig. 4 in positive abutting relation with the engaged ring barb 8, or, in fixed, biting engagement with a plain stud, as the case may be. .v

Such movement of the ngers 30 inwardly in or arched body portion II of the spring nut adjacent the bases of the tongues I5, and upon' further movement of the tool head in this manner, said hump of the spring nut is depressed thereby from the position of Fig. 2 to tightened,

tensioned fastening position substantially as shown in Fig. 4. When the actuating element or trigger 28 of the tool is released, the compressed coil spring 31 is free to expand and accordingly, urges the plunger 26 V:forwardly to its initial, normal position shown in Fig. 5. The projecting cam portions 34 of fingers 30 thus clear the bore 22 and permit said fingers to spring 'outwardly sufliciently for the jaws 35 carriedithereby to disengage from the stud, whereupon the tool may be easily and quickly withdrawn.

When the tool is withdrawn and the attendant pressure removed from the depressed body of the spring nut, the device naturally tends to assume 35 its initial arched or humped conguration and, in so doing, forces the extremities of tongues I5 inwardly into locked abutting engagement with engaged shoulder or ring barb and otherwise causes the notched extremities of said tongues to cut into and become embedded in the root diameter of the stud shank in permanently locked relation therewith, as aforesaid. At the same time, an axial drawing -action is exerted by the spring nut on the stud shank to pull the same generally axially to tighten automatically the parts of the assembly and otherwise ensure a strong, .reliable and positively vsecured installation atl all times. Similarly, in the case of a plain or smooth shank provided by a rivet, nail, or integrally molded stud on a plastic part, the tool head 25 depresses the hump or arched body portion il of the fastener against the adjacent work surface -to finally applied, tensioned fastening position, at which point the sharp' edges of 5-5 the tongues I5 clutch the plain stud and pre- Y ve'nt reverse movement of the spring nut-in the direction toward removal therefrom. i When the tool is withdrawn, the spring nut attempts to assume its initial condition urging the extremities of said tongues inwardly toward each other into embedded, positive locked, biting engagement with the' connecting stud, and otherwise exerting an axial pull on the stud to draw the Parts offthe assembly automatically into tight, gid and permanently secured relation, as aforescopeof the invention. -The present embodiment is therefore to beconsidered in all respects as.

illustrative andnot restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appendedclaim rather than by lthe foregoing description, with al1 changes falling within the scope, meaning and range of equivalency of the claim intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

A spring nut device comprising a strap of sheet material bowed upwardly intermediately to curve in the direction of the length of the strap while presenting a surface composed of substantially ,of the curved surface, the crown of the curved portion being apertured and provided with a pair of opposed tongues extending Ain the general direction of the length of the strap and inclined upwardly from the crown region to engage a stud 10 occupying the aperture.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN. 

